by Mark Harritt
Om Varee pointed to the different areas, “Okay, split up. Grab hard drives. If you see anybody alive, ask them where the ghost soldiers are.”
“And? When we’re finished with them?” Jhani asked.
“You know the answer to that question already,” Om Varee told her.
Om Varee turned to Sebius’ personal office and started rummaging around for the man’s computer. He found it in a drawer that pulled out to display it. It was encrypted, so he grabbed it and shoved it down in his day pack for later exploitation. Further exploration turned up a hand held and a large computer, possible the main computer that all the others were linked into. He couldn’t take the entire thing, so he opened it up, and took all the solid state hard drives. Both the handheld and the drives went into his backpack.
Then, he heard yelling out in the main office. Om Varee quickly slung his day pack on his back and hurried out to see what was happening. Mara’a was standing there, looking very pleased with herself, “Look what I found crawling back into his lair.”
Sebius was lying face down on the floor, his hands secured behind his back, “I wasn’t crawling, I was walking. Why are you treating me like this?” Sebius asked.
Om Varee walked over and flipped up the front of his helmet, “We’re treating you like this because we don’t like you, Sebius.”
Sebius paled as soon as he realized who he was dealing with, “I thought you were dead.”
The smile on Om Varee’s face didn’t extend to his eyes, “Oh, you mean the entire explosion thing? No, we’re very much alive.”
“But the Dostor . . .,” He paused while Mara’a manhandled him up into a sitting position. While she was doing this, Jhani showed up. Om Varee looked up at her, and she gave him a thumb’s up to indicate that she’d acquired the information that they were looking for. Satisfied, he turned his attention back to Sebius.
“You were saying?” Om Varee asked.
“Dostori Rev said that you’d been killed by assassins the Contai sent for you,” Sebius informed him.
Om Varees shook his head, “No, that wasn’t who tried to kill us. In fact, we killed the Dinshani assassins that the Dostori Rev sent in. That’s who was killed in the explosion. We killed more in the sewers under the city. She must be running out of assassins by now. In fact, I think the Dinshani are kind of overrated. I was expecting much more of a challenge.”
Sebius gaped at him, not understanding what was happening.
Om Varee motioned to the larger office around them, “What happened here?”
“Some . . . some of the prisoners got loose and slaughtered my staff,” Sebius answered.
Now Om Varee’s eyes lit up as he smiled, “Well, good for them. Was it the ghost soldiers that did this?”
Sebius goggled at Om Varee without replying, stunned that the Dostori Rev’s erstwhile intelligence chief would be rooting for the Contai and alien soldiers. Om Varee leaned forward and slapped him, “Just so you know, this will be a lot easier for you if you answer my questions promptly. Now, did the unknown alien soldiers do this?”
His face stinging from the slap, Sebius nodded.
“Are any of them still alive?” Om Varee asked.
Sebius hesitated, but when Om Varee balled his hand into a fist, he hurriedly gave an answer, “Yes! Yes, they’re still alive. Four of them. They’re downstairs.”
Om Varee smiled again, “See how easy that is. Now, let’s go downstairs and retrieve them, shall we?”
Om Varee helped Sebius to his feet. He motioned to Sebius, talking to Mara’a, “Watch him.” He motioned to Jhani, and she followed him. They turned their backs on Mara’a and Sebius. “Well?” he asked.
“Mission accomplished. I removed their hard drives, then inserted one of ours. I turned on the computer and it started sending out the hostile software. Her entire city is about to be shut down,” Jhani replied.
“Good. With that in place, she won’t be able to track us. It will be a lot easier getting off planet and out to Sritus,” Om Varee mused.
He turned back to Mara’a, and pointed at the exit that led to the stair well, “Let’s go.”
Mara’ turned away from Sebius and Om Varee became his guard. Jhani moved past to help Mara’a cover the stairwell. They opened the door and made sure it was still secure, and then waved for Om Varee to bring the prisoner out. He had one hand on his rifle and the other on the shackles that held Sebius.
They stepped out into the stairwell. “Which floor?” Om Varee asked. Sebius didn’t say anything. Om Varee stepped closer, “Now is the time you cooperate, or you die. I can find them without you.”
Sebius hung his head, his defiance, however minimal, completely gone, “There’s one in my laboratory, and the others are in the lower room.”
Om Varee pushed Sebius forward, “Go on, show us where.”
They fell into their old routine, Jhani in front, Om Varee, with Sebius, in the middle, and Mara’a in the back. Om Varee had to steady Sebius since his hands were secured. They made it to Sebius’ laboratory and Jhani tried the door, “It’s locked.”
Om Varee stared at Sebius, “Where’s the key?”
“On a chain around my neck.”
Om Varee pulled the front of Sebius’ shirt apart and saw the glint of a metal chain. He grabbed the key and yanked hard, snapping the chain that held it. He handed the key to Jhani. She took it and unlocked the door. She left the key in the lock and pushed the door open. Since Sebius was the only one that used this laboratory, it was uncluttered. There was medical machinery that lined the walls, and a desk with a computer. Om Varee pointed at the computer, “We’ll need to take that with us.”
Sebius turned to Om Varee, “No! You can’t! That has all of my research on it!” He started to struggle against Om Varee’s grip. Om Varee punched him in the back of the head. Sebius collapsed onto both knees and shook his head, trying to get rid of the cobwebs. When he composed himself, he looked up at Om Varee. Om Varee pointed at him, “What did I tell you? If you cooperate, you live. If you don’t cooperate, you die. The less you cooperate, the more banged up you get before you die.”
Om Varee didn’t let it show, but now that he was in open rebellion against the Dostori Rev, he felt so much better. Punching Sebius felt so good that he contemplated hitting him again. He didn’t, though, realizing that he might need Sebius’ cooperation. One love tap was enough of a warning to get it.
Mara’ moved to secure the computer. Om Varee put his hand under Sebius’ arm and helped him back to his feet, “Now, where’s the soldier?”
Sebius couldn’t point, so he nodded in the direction of curtains at the back of the laboratory, “He’s back there.”
Om Varee motioned for Sebius to move, keeping his hand on Sebius’ arm, “Show me.”
Sebius started forward, leading Om Varee to the curtained alcove. They stopped in front of the curtain. The curtain hung down from a track on the ceiling. Om Varee reached up and slid the curtain to the side. He stared at the man on the table, “Why is he strapped down like that? What have you done to him?”
The soldier in question was sweating profusely. He writhed in agony.
“The Dostori Rev wanted another of her pet monsters. Min is getting old. He’s grown too big. His size is putting a lot of pressure on his internal organs. He’ll be dead in a few years. And, she really hates this man.”
Om Varee motioned to the soldier, “So now, she’s going to have him turned into her own personal ghoul?”
Sebius nodded, “Yes, only she wanted me to make a small change.”
“What?” Om Varee asked.
“Well, with Min, she wanted him to remember nothing at all about his previous life. She was afraid another genengineer would get a hold of him and restore him. This one,” Sebius motioned toward Mike, “She wants him to remember everything.”
Om Varee stared at Sebius, “So, he would be turned into another Min, and remember everything about his previous life?”
Sebius nodd
ed, “Just so.”
“And you’ve started the change?” Om Varee asked.
“Yes, I’ve already given him the precursors. The fever he has now is the gene splicing at work on his body.”
Om Varee stepped to the side of the table the soldier was fastened to, “Soldier, can you hear me?”
The soldier’s eyes opened. He stared back at the combat suited apparition that was staring down at him. He started pleading and cursing in a language that Om Varee didn’t know. He spit at Om Varee, and started screaming.
Om Varee stepped back, “I’m not sure there’s anything I can do with this one. Let’s go down stairs to your other lab.” Om Varee left the soldier strapped to the table, screaming.
Om Varee grabbed Sebius, and walked him back to where Jhani and Mara’a were standing. He looked at Mara’a, “Did you get everything.”
“Yes, I got all his data. I found a recorder in the desk and grabbed it, also.”
Sebius opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it when Om Varee turned to look at him. Om Varee nodded toward the door, and Jhani led the way, the others trailing behind her.
They made their way down the next flight of stairs. There was no problem getting into this laboratory. It was a general lab used by the techs that worked for Sebius. There was no lock on the door. They went in and found eight of the tables like the one in Sebius’ lab. There was a lone tech working in the lab, staring down at his computer. There were five figures lashed down on the tables, two Contai, two of the soldiers, and one person that was horribly disfigured by tumors.
Their presence didn’t register on the tech until he felt a draft through the door, “Close the door, the air is cold.”
“Close it yourself,” Om Varee told him, shoving Sebius inside the lab. The tech looked up, and an expression of horror etched his face as he realized that they weren’t part of the lab personnel. Jhani strolled over to the tech, who reacted by partially standing, getting his legs entangled in the chair, and then setting back down hard. He was the same race as Sebius, with the lion mane and a face that made him look like the golden lion tamarin from old earth.
“Do I kill him?” Jhani asked.
“No, not yet. He might be useful,” Om Varee replied. He grabbed a chair, rolled it over to the tech, and sat Sebius down on it. He motioned for the tech to stand up and turn around. The tech complied, trembling as Om Varee secured his arms behind him. He sat the tech back down.
“Watch them,” he told Jhani, “I want that computer also.” Jhani waved Mara’a over to grab the computer while she kept her weapon on the two genengineers.
Om Varee let his weapon dangle by the straps. He raised his hands and took his helmet off. He walked down to the tables where the people were strapped in. As he walked, he noticed that they were all looking at him. He stopped short of the first person strapped in, the one with all the tumors.
“Who here speaks the trade language?” he asked.
“A little,” one of the soldiers said, then he switched to Contai, “We all speak Contai, though.
Om Varee switched to that language, “Good. I need to talk to you.”
The soldier was like the man upstairs, naked, strapped into the table, “Well, I don’t think we’re going anywhere anytime soon. What do you want to know?”
One of the indigenous people started to struggle, yelling, “Let me go! Take these Gods damned straps off me.”
Om Varee didn’t move, and stared at the Contai until he stopped struggling, “That’s not helpful. I have questions I need answers to, and you’re going to tell me.”
“No, we won’t.” The soldier that had spoken first told Om Varee this.
Om Varee pointed over his shoulder at Jhani, “Yes. You will. You will tell me everything I want to know, or I will turn my wife loose on you.”
The man with the suppurating ulcers started laughing. Om Varee turned his head to look at him, “Why are you laughing?”
The words came out distorted, probably because of the tumor on the side of the disfigured man’s face, “Because we’re already dead. The Dostori Rev is going to kill us and feed us to her pet monster in the central shaft.” The disfigured man looked Om Varee square in the eye, “I figure you don’t have much time before uninvited guests show up. You can do a little damage, but you ain’t going to get any information out of us, and the longer you stay here, the more likely it is that you’re going to run up against a welcoming committee. Only this time, they’re going to send in the real killers, not the ones who captured us. They knocked us out and brought us down here, and soon, those sons-of-a-bitch are going to carve us up.” He tilted his head toward the genengineers. “So, if you want information, you’re going to have to make a deal.”
“What kind of deal?” Om Varee asked, a displeased look on his face.
The disfigured man smiled, “Two things. You let us loose, and you take us with you.”
Om Varee thought about it, “I don’t think so. You killed everybody in this installation with no clothes, no weapons, and no keys to any locks. I’m pretty sure that would not be a good idea.”
The soldier that had answered previously spoke next, “Well, it’s the only offer you’re going to get. You don’t help us; we don’t help you.”
They didn’t budge. Most times, he could play people off against each other and get what he wanted. That wasn’t going to happen this time. Even the Contai were sticking with the group, though they seemed to be unsure about what was happening.
Om Varee had no choice, “Okay, I’ll take you with us. He looked over at Mara’a, “you done with the computer?”
“Yeah, I’ve got it.”
“Come over. I’m going to need some help with this bunch.”
Mara’ walked over, “What do you need?
“Cover me while I unstrap them,” Om Varee answered.
He walked over to the disfigured man, “I’m going to unstrap you first.” He pointed a finger at the disfigured man’s face, “You try anything, you all die, and I’ll take my chances.”
“Look at me,” the disfigured man answered, “Do I look like I can give you any trouble?”
“Just a warning,” Om Varee answered.
The straps weren’t locked. It took less than a minute to undo the straps on the disfigured man. The disfigured man sat up, “Can I get some help here. My knee is stiff.”
Om Varee was repulsed by the oozing tumors, but he helped the man down from the table. Then he walked over to the man at the end who’d talked previously, “You sound rational. I’m letting you go next, but you have to keep them under control.” Om Varee pointed at the two Contai, “Things will go a lot smoother if we keep our emotions in check.”
Om Varee undid the straps, and the man smoothly stood up from the table. Mara’a’s rifle came up to track him. The man raised his hands in the air, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to move so fast. I was just happy to be free again.” Then he pointed at the other soldier, “Him next. I’ll need his help.”
“Okay, you go ahead and unstrap him. I’m going to move back over here,” Om Varee told him. Om Varee moved away from the group so that he had distance between them in case they tried anything.
Soon, all five were unstrapped from the tables.
Om Varee motioned with the barrel of his weapon, “Okay, so now, I want some information.”
The man that had spoken originally shook his head, “No, not here. When we’re out of here, then we’ll answer all of your questions.”
“You don’t trust me?” Om Varee asked.
The man was rubbing his wrists where the straps had cut in, “Nothing personal, but we don’t trust anybody.”
There was a rumble of agreement from the rest of them.
“Okay, let’s go,” Om Varee motioned toward the door.
The disfigured man spoke, “Not yet. We have to find Mike and Ken. We don’t leave without them.”
Om Varee was confused, “What is Mike and Ken?”
“Two of our
comrades. Mike and Ken are our leaders.”
“We don’t have time to find your ‘leaders.’ We have to go right now.”
The one that had spoken first crossed his arms, “You want answers. We have answers, but our leaders have the contacts. They’ll be the ones that can tell you what you want to know.”
Om Varee cursed. He looked over at Sebius and the tech, and switched to the trade lingo, “What did you do with their leaders?”
“The Dostori Rev took one, but the only other one I know of is the the one on the table upstairs.”
Om Varee studied Sebius’ face. There was a lie in there somewhere. He could see it plainly on Sebius’ face, but Om Varee didn’t have enough time to extract answers.
He turned back to the group of five, “There is another upstairs. He is sick with fever. Go get him and bring him down. He is your responsibility. If you can’t keep up, I’m leaving you.”
The two soldiers turned to look at each other. They turned to look back at Om Varee, and motioned toward the door, “May we?”
Om Varee had a steady grip on his rifle, “Hold on, let us move back, then you can go get him. The rest of you, walk to the steps, and then downstairs. We don’t have much time. You have to hurry.”
The other soldier, the one that hadn’t spoken yet, asked, “Where are our clothes? We need our combat gear.”
Om Varee looked over at Sebius, “What did you do with their equipment?”
“The Dostori Rev took it,” Sebius replied.
Om Varee looked back at the soldier, “It’s not here. The Dostori Rev has it.”
The men cursed. Om Varee and Mara’a stepped back to Jhani’s position. The five men moved past them, the disfigured man moving slower, struggling to keep up. Om Varee frowned as he walked past, knowing the man would slow them down. The five of them opened the door and stepped through. Om Varee saw two go up the stairs, and the other three go down.